Afghanistan: We will need western troops for another five years, says country's president

HAMID KARZAI was sworn in for a second term as Afghan president yesterday and vowed to make the country safe within five years.

HAMID KARZAI was sworn in for a second term as Afghan president yesterday and vowed to make the country safe within five years.

He also pledged to stop foreign security companies operating in the country so that Afghanistan would "control its own security".

But even as he promised to make the country safe from the violent Taliban insurgency, two US troops died in a bomb attack and a suicide bomber killed 10 civilians in the south.

Karzai said: "We are determined that by the next five years, the Afghan forces are capable of taking the lead in ensuring security and stability across the country with foreign troops only responsible for support and training."

He said a loya jirga, or traditional council of elders, would be called to address the insurgency, but did not set a timeframe. The president - who has been tainted with corruption allegations - also said nobody was above the law and promised to go after crooked officials.

He said: "My government are committed to bring to justice those involved in spreading corruption and abuse of public property."

And he promised to pass a law requiring that all senior officials declare and register their assets.

The speech was clearly aimed at appeasing the international allies he needs to fend off the Islamist militants.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said his comments about battling corruption provide "a very strong base on which to measure the actions taken".

She added: "He could have been very vague and talked about how we're all against it and all want to end it but he was much more specific and we're going to watch very carefully to see how that's implemented."

Karzai won this year's fraud-marred presidential election after his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, pulled out of a run-off, saying it was impossible for a fair vote.

But yesterday, Karzai said: "I would like to invite all the presidential candidates, including my brother Dr Abdullah Abdullah, to come together."

But he stopped short of inviting his rival into his government.

Abdullah, who once served as Karzai's foreign minister, said: "His policies I consider as the basic and fundamental reason for the failures of the international community and Afghanistan together."